*…Says Saraki’s legacies continue to speak for him
By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has applauded the Federal Government’s decision to select the Kwara State University (KWASU) as one of the six universities nationwide to benefit from its ICT Experience Centre initiative.
The party said it viewed this initiative as a significant investment in the future of the youths and a major step towards technological advancement in educational institutions in the country.
In a statement signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, the Party lauded “the FG initiative to recognise and invest in KWASU, one of the legacy projects of the Bukola Saraki-led PDP administration in Kwara, which has continued to stand as a testament to the unmatched visionary leadership and developmental strides made during Saraki’s tenure
“Other notable projects initiated during Saraki’s administration, such as Shonga Farm Holdings, Harmony Advanced Diagnostic Centre, International Aviation College, the cargo terminal of the Ilorin International Airport, Metropolitan Square, Harmony Holdings, the Post Office Flyover, the Asa Dam/Offa Garage Bridge and host of others have continued to positively impact the lives of ordinary Kwarans.
“All the aforementioned projects stand as pillars of development and progress, deflating the political hypocrisy of the ruling government, just like KWASU, which has recently attracted another multimillion-naira developmental initiative by the Federal Government.
“The Kwara PDP notes that despite persistent efforts by the Kwara State Government to downplay and diminish the achievements linked to Saraki which are today’s symbols of modernKwara, our party is proud that Seventeen years after Saraki left office, these projects continue to benefit the people of Kwara, proving critics wrong and highlighting the lasting positive changes brought about during his administration.
“For instance, in 2018, the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Committee of Governors, invested N2 billion into the poultry syndicate of Shonga Farms Holdings Limited. It is, therefore, unfortunate that the gains of Shonga Farm, which has provided more than 4,500 direct jobs and about 6,000 indirect jobs for Kwara’s teeming youths, have been deliberately subjected to political attacks by those elected to protect the public interest.
“These state-sponsored attacks, including harsh government policies targeted at the farm holding, all aimed at killing all projects linked to Saraki’s name, have regrettably led to the current collapse of Shonga Farm.
“The Kwara PDP expresses our worry over the trend of undermining and killing state-owned projects that are supposed to benefit all Kwarans, merely as a show of unreasonable competition with Saraki. This unfortunate trend harms the people of Kwara, who stand to lose the most from these shortsighted political maneuvers.
“Our party remains committed to advocating for and supporting initiatives that foster educational and technological development in Kwara State. We believe that continued investment in our educational institutions is essential for the progress and prosperity of our state and its people.”